Sending out resumes and not even getting called in for a job interview can be frustrating. Knowing why your resume isn’t getting you through the door is a critical step in finding a good job.

Make Sure Your Resume is Readable.

The first thing your resume has to do is open so the hiring manager can read it. Some companies won’t accept attachments, or only have software to open certain types of attachments. Check the website carefully to make sure you are submitting your resume in their preferred format; otherwise, it might not get read at all. No company is going to interview you until they see your resume!

Make Sure Your Resume Can Be Understood.

Once you make sure the prospective employer can read your resume, make sure it’s legible and easy to read. Beware the dreaded “wall of text” effect. Break up sentences and paragraphs into easy to read bullet points. Use bold tactfully to highlight sections and important keywords.

Are You a Good Fit?

Managers get a lot of resumes, and generally, they only have time to skim over them to see if they are a good fit. This way they only interview people they will want to hire. Read job postings carefully and make sure your resume fits the job. If the job post requests specific skills and experiences, your cover letter should mention those skills. Then ensure the resume highlights them in a way that is easy to find.

Update Your Contact Info.

This one may sound obvious, but every hiring manager can tell you of an instance where they read a perfect resume, decided to call the candidate in for an interview, and could not find a phone number or e-mail address. Be accessible if you want those call backs.

If you’re looking for a new job, contact Olympic Staffing. We can help place you in a job that is a good fit for your career goals and matches up what you’re currently seeking.

If you are covered under Federal Department of Transportation regulations, drug testing is mandatory, but for many businesses drug testing is optional. Deciding whether or not to drug test employees can seem like a difficult decision. Consider the following.

Laws

The laws regulating drug testing for these businesses vary from state to state and compliance can be complicated. Knowing why you should maintain a drug testing program and how to manage your program legally are key to improving your workplace.

Benefits

The benefits of drug testing are real. Employees who use drugs can be unproductive, expensive health risks, and dangerous to themselves and others. Drug testing programs can also benefit the employees who use drugs. By forcing them to confront their problem and providing real consequences for mistakes you can help them face their problems and get their lives on track.

Semantics

Employees who are abusing drugs will miss more work days and are more likely to have medical conditions. They are more prone to having accidents that can cause injuries to themselves, other employees, or even members of the public. Employees who abuse drugs can be overly lethargic or manic at work, have difficulty communicating, or become confused when attempting even simple tasks. This can make them unproductive and interfere with the employees around them.

Expenses

Employees who use drugs incur four times the healthcare expenses of sober employees and are more likely to incur a workers’ comp claim. Most states won’t honor workers’ comp claims when drug use is considered a cause, but without a testing program, you can’t take advantage of that.

Risks

The only real risk is staying inside the legal guidelines in your state. This is why it makes sense to outsource your program to a company with specific expertise in both carrying out testing and compliance with regulations.

Once you have the right partner to keep your drug testing program safe and legal, you can get started on building a cleaner, safer more productive workplace.

If you’re looking for reliable employees, contact Olympic Staffing. We can help find you an employee who is a good fit for your company culture, goals, and overall advancement.

Hiring new employees is stressful and disruptive. It takes a lot of time out of your already busy schedule, and a bad hire can hold your whole business back. There are real advantages to bringing in the outside professionals of a staffing agency for your next job search:

Time

A job search isn’t just one extra task; it’s an extra job added on top of your other duties. You have to come up with a job description, write and place ads on job boards, search for candidates, read through resumes, contact candidates to set up interviews, go through the interview process, conduct background checks, verify references, and make job offers.

A staffing agency can take most of this extra work off your shoulders so you can focus on selecting the right fit from the prospective employees the agency sends them to you.

Social media isn’t just about “being social.” Yes, it connects you with clients and customers, but it also helps your business growth and success.

Improved Traffic.

Social media activity converts to traffic. It helps draw people into your website and makes them more likely to call, visit or e-mail you when they need the goods and services you provide.

Stay Relevant.

People share and discuss news through social media. Social media sites are the national water cooler where everyone hangs out and chats. Whether it’s news about people in your field, new developments or happenings with your competitors, social media experts always know first.

Manage Your Brand.

If people are talking about you on social media, you need to know about it. If it’s positive, you can be polite and show gratitude. If it’s negative, you can fix the problem promptly before it gets out of hand.

Be in the Conversation.

Savvy social media users know how to track conversations that are relevant to their business and respond to them. By subtly adding your brand name to the conversation you remind people who they need to go to when it’s time to make a purchase.

Get Customer Feedback.

People are very chatty on social media. You can spend thousands on surveys and market research only to miss a key insight because you didn’t ask the right questions. Researching social media sites is a great way to find out what your customers think.

Does your company need help with social media? Olympic Staffing can connect you with a social media manager, as well as filling any other openings. Contact us today – and keep your business running smoothly.